GOV. MALLOY: FAIRFIELD SERVICE PLAZA TO REOPEN, PROVIDING IMPORTANT FOOD AND FUELING LOCATION IN STORMS’ WAKE

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the newly renovated service plaza on the northbound side of the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield will reopen at noon on Friday, November 9, providing one more conveniently accessible source of gasoline and food for motorists in the region – many of whom are still coping with the aftermath of Storm Sandy last week and the nor’easter this week.

“It is important that we make as many fueling locations available as we can, especially in Southwestern Connecticut, which sustained back-to-back hits from these two storms,” Governor Malloy said, noting that the service plaza also has full generator capabilities.

The service plaza on the southbound side remains under reconstruction and will open within the next couple of months. Plans also originally called for the closing this week of the Merritt Parkway service plazas in Greenwich on both the northbound and southbound sides for renovations, but that, too, is being delayed until after Thanksgiving to minimize the impact on travelers looking for fuel and food.

Connecticut’s 23 service plazas – on the Merritt & Wilbur Cross Parkways, I-95 and I-395 – are owned by the Department of Transportation and are being renovated and operated by Project Service LLC. Each service plaza will have multiple food offerings, as well as a convenience store, gasoline and other amenities. All 23 service plazas will have been renovated and reopened by 2015, under the current schedule.

Each newly renovated service plaza will have full generator service, meaning that they will be able to remain open in the event of a power outage.